LITMIR.BIZ

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each have their own character and I get to reflect that in how I decorate them. I do only those in Ohio, Indiana and Northern Kentucky, though Dad has locations all across the country.”

      He’d wondered about that. “You don’t like to travel?”

      She shook her head and then deliberately tried to divert him. “What about you?”

      Justice shrugged. “It’s okay. I haven’t traveled much for pleasure, but fighters go all over, either to compete or to support friends. Brazil, Japan, Canada, South Korea—”

      “Wow. I had no idea.” She folded her arms on the tabletop. “That’s so exciting.”

      “Not if you’re fighting. Let me tell you, the packing and travel and promo is a hassle. Then you have to adjust to the time zone and sometimes the altitude. It’s not like you get much opportunity to be a tourist.”

      “I can’t imagine all that running and prep and then having to perform. But I’m impressed.”

      Sheepish, Justice shook his head. “Don’t be. I won in Japan, but not in South Korea or Brazil. Not that I got creamed or anything,” he rushed to assure her. “Got bonus bucks for ‘fight of the night’ in Brazil. It was a real brawl, but I lost two of the three rounds.”

      “I would love to see a live fight sometime.”

      He was about to tell her it’d be too risky when Cannon spoke beside them. “You’re in luck. Stack Hannigan is fighting next weekend and it’s local. Have Justice bring you.”

      While Fallon stared up in awe at Cannon, Justice tried to signal him by slashing a finger across his neck.

      Cannon ignored him. “Introduce me, Justice.”

      Armie strolled up next to him. “Yeah, introduce us.”

      “Jesus, Joseph and Mary,” Justice mumbled. Did they think she was a date? “I was going to bring her to the pool room for introductions after we ate.”

      Showing up with the food, Avery bumped Cannon and Armie out of her way with her hip. She set the plates and drinks off her tray, then asked, “Anything else?”

      “It smells perfect,” Fallon gushed. “Thank you.”

      Armie said to Avery, “You sure you don’t want me to lend a hand?”

      “You’re sweet,” Avery said, “but Crissy just showed up. We’re covered.”

      As soon as Avery got out of the way, Cannon and Armie muscled their way in. Cannon made Fallon scoot over and Armie would have sat on Justice’s lap if he hadn’t moved quick enough.

      Deadpan, Justice asked, “Why don’t you guys join us?”

      They ignored his dry tone.

      “Think I will,” Armie said, stealing one of his fries. To Fallon he said, “I’m Armie. That’s Cannon.”

      She looked...mesmerized, her eyes wide, watchful. “You’re both fighters?”

      Armie grinned. “Good guess.”

      “Oh, no. You both look as muscular as Justice.”

      Cannon grinned now, too. “And you are?”

      She poked out a hand. “Fallon Wade.”

      While Cannon’s hand completely swallowed hers, Armie said, “Nice, Eugene. She’s a step up.”

      With surprise, Fallon turned to Justice. “Eugene?”

      Cannon leaned near, saying in a loud stage whisper behind his hand, “That’s his real name.”

      Giving Armie a shove that almost put him out of the booth, Justice growled, “You’re both assholes, you know that, right?”

      Chuckling, Armie righted himself. “Avery just said I was sweet.”

      “She has to be nice to you because you’re a customer.”

      “Ah, c’mon, Eugene,” Armie replied. “Don’t be pissy.”

      “No one,” Justice stressed to Fallon, “calls me that.”

      Armie raised his hand. “Just us A-holes.” He slanted a look at Justice. “I, at least, know how to speak in front of a lady.”

      That was almost too hilarious, given Armie’s rep, which wasn’t all that distant yet. “Where are your wives? Rissy and Yvette would keep you in line.”

      “Rissy, Vanity and Cherry are visiting Yvette at our place,” Cannon said. “The wives insisted we show up here for Stack’s last weekend before the fight.”

      Justice explained to Fallon, “These two are new dads. Cannon has twins, a boy and a girl, and Armie has a daughter. Usually you can’t pry them away from the babies.”

      “Look who’s talking!” Cannon pointed at Justice. “This one does the whole baby-talk thing. It’s hilarious.”

      “And nauseating,” Armie chimed in. Then he shrugged. “But the babies adore him.”

      Justice grinned. “True enough. I’m one of their favorite people.”

      “There’s only four months between our kids’ ages.” Cannon smiled with pride. “They’ll grow up close.”

      For the next twenty minutes, Justice and Fallon ate while the men told stories.

      Like a spectator at a tennis match, Fallon’s head bobbed back and forth as she alternately listened to each man gush affectionately. It still amused Justice that the two of them were so affected by their kids. If one of the babies gurgled, they were on it. Drool didn’t faze them and they changed diapers like a couple of champions, which they were.

      Other than during training, or occasionally at Rowdy’s, if you saw one of the men, you saw a baby.

      Justice finally interrupted to say, “You get the feeling they’re proud papas?”

      Smiling, Fallon nodded. “Very. And I think it’s lovely.”

      “So I’m sweet and lovely,” Armie said. “I can’t wait to tell Stretch.”

      “My sister will strangle you for calling her that,” Cannon reminded Armie. Then to Fallon, he said, “She’s almost as tall as me.”

      “But a lot prettier,” Armie added, his eyebrows bobbing.

      Justice noticed that Fallon had eaten at least half of the enormous burger and a good share of fries before she pushed back her plate and patted her mouth with the paper napkin.

      “Dessert?” he asked her.

      She lifted the shake. “This counts.” Leaning in, she asked, “So, do you think we could see your friend’s fight next weekend?”

      Not a good idea. “I don’t know,” he hedged. “It’s going to be crowded.”

      One brow lifted, Cannon sat back and watched him.

      Armie slanted him a look of curiosity.

      “I’ll cover my own ticket,” she promised. “That is, if tickets are still available.”

      “Not for any good seats.”

      Cannon and Armie waited to pounce; Justice knew that and tried to think of a way to deter them from interfering, but he came up blank. Wasn’t like he could explain that Fallon was only an assignment—and he was already too close.

      Finally, Cannon said, “I have tickets. Brand and Miles, friends you can meet in a minute, would be happy to—”

      Justice growled, “If she goes, she goes with me.”

      Fallon’s face went pink and she cleared her throat. “It’s all ridiculous, but Justice is my bodyguard.”

      Groaning,

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